


Holographic Bullets

by FleaBee



Series: Too Many Challenges [1]
Category: Red Dwarf
Genre: Gen, Someones going to get shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 17:26:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15689994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FleaBee/pseuds/FleaBee
Summary: “I’m bulletproof…but please, don’t shoot me.”





	Holographic Bullets

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt 21 I’m bulletproof…but please, don’t shoot me.”

Rimmer stood face to face with the simulant. He didn't know how they kept getting themselves into these types situation all he wanted was a quiet life these days. To read a book in the botanical gardens while occasionally looking at the stars. He blamed Lister and constantly wanting to raid supplies to stock up his curry.

The simulant held a gun up to his head, Rimmer stumbled back, tripping slightly. "I'm bulletproof - but please, don't shoot me," Rimmer begged the simulant. It didn't hurt to be shot at, he still hated it. He hated the reminder that he wasn't really a living person anymore and it was always in the back of his head that maybe, just maybe it would kill him like a living person and he didn't want to be dead or deader than he already was.

Rimmer didn't like the grin that came to the simulant's half-rotted fleshy face showing through metallic teeth that looked more terrifying because they were stuck in what looked like a human skull.

"These are special bullets that are designed for a hologram," The simulant gleefully boasted. "Hard or soft light doesn't matter one bit, hit by one of these babies and you'll be gone in a flash. The simulant paced around him, Rimmer looked around frantically for Lister or Kryten. So far he couldn't see his companions. He didn't know how he kept getting into situations like this. Why was it only after he became a hologram he finds out about all the ways it is possible to hurt and kill one? Or did that only become possible after he had become a hologram? When he was new, he thought all he had to worry about was getting turned off.

Rimmer took a step back seeing an opening, darting for it. The simulant laughed gleefully as Rimmer ran and darted away. He looked at his arm in horror as he was clipped, the bullet bouncing off his projection. It didn't hurt or even leave a mark.

"That was a normal bullet," Rimmer stated still trying to prevent himself from getting hit again.

The simulant laughed, holding the gun up. "You have a choice hologram. Stay still and get hit. Move out of the way, and the human gets hit. Your choice."

Rimmer gulped, looking behind him seeing that Lister really was there and in the line of fire from the simulant.

"Don't forget if I die, you die," Lister said reminding Rimmer of the fact there his life and existence involved Lister staying alive. If Lister died, his program would terminate itself.

Rimmer gulped again, turning towards the simulant. There had to be a way out without getting shot. Why did these type of things have to happen to himself and Lister all the time? It was like the universe was out to get them both. Making their lives interconnected was just icing on a cake, a curry flavoured cake. Even if he weren't connected to Lister, he would still stand in the way, blocking Lister from getting hurt, after all, regular bullets wouldn't hurt him but they would kill Lister and what type of Acting Officer would he be if he let his crew get hurt? Maybe just maybe he was fond of his bunkmate after all these years.

Rimmer looked at his chest as sparks started to burst out of his chest where he was hit. He looked back toward the simulant. He'd forgotten about the holographic bullets, he thought the simulant had been bluffing. Those bullets that couldn't hurt Lister but would be the end of him. It was the end of him. He was dead dead.

Rimmer collapsed towards the man he'd been trying to protect, falling into his arms.

"Hey, Rimmer, you're going to be alright," Lister said to him in a low tone as his vision flickered. Or maybe Lister was shouting. His mouth was moving too big for someone whispering.

 

Rimmer woke up finding himself in the medibay, he wasn't dead dead after all. Lister was talking with Kryten in a low tone, the Cat nowhere to be seen.

"What just happened?" Rimmer asked, expecting to see the simulant still around.

"What do you remember?" Lister asked his full focus on Rimmer.

Rimmer's mouth felt dry as he remembered the danger Lister had been in.

"The simulant it was going to shoot you," Rimmer said.

"Yeah man and you stopped it." Lister grinned. "Thanks."

Pulling his shirt open he found his chest was still staticy from where he was hit.

"What happened after my lightbee was damaged? Am I going to be alright? Did it do permanent damage? What about the simulant, how did you escape him?" Once he would have been anxious as he saw his condition, now it was just another day in deep space.

"It just short-circuited a few things. Everything's fine, no permanent damage. As for the simulant, how about we save that story for another time."

"Either something fascinating happened, and you don't want to disappoint me, or you got out by luck and need time to come up with something more exciting." Rimmer assumed.

Lister smiled indication that one of those options was correct but not giving away which one.


End file.
